Pot Roast

I never liked pot roast. That's not fair: I didn't think I liked pot roast. I had never really given it a chance. I always grouped it into that gray beef category that contains prime rib. Delicious to some, but too reminiscent of a luke warm dish at a banquet hall for my liking. I would rather take my red meat in the form of a NY Strip thankyouverymuch.

Last winter we made the long trip north to visit family and my Mother in Law said she had made a pot roast for dinner. I was ambivalent about it, but made myself a plate all the same. Good Golly, was I pleasantly surprised! This was not a watery, gray meat dish at all. This dish was, quite simply, delicious. I think I ate 4 pounds of pot roast with gravy over the course of our trip. My Mother in Law graciously told me how she prepared the dish and when I got back home to Texas, I made a version of my own.

This pot roast is now a staple in our home. It's inexpensive and so easy to make in the crockpot. I can put it on in the morning and not give it another thought until it's time to make the gravy; My favorite part!


Pot Roast

3 1/2 lb of beef shoulder or boneless chuck roast
2 large onions thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
.5 c red wine
1.5 c. good quality beef stock (Beef Consomme is perfect)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

Heat EVOO in a deep skillet or dutch oven over high heat.

Season meat liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder.

Brown meat over high heat on all sides. Remove meat form skillet and place in crock pot.

Lower heat to medium and add onions and garlic to the skillet. Deglaze pan with red wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in beef consomme.

Pour mixture over beef in crock pot and cook on low heat for approximately 5 hours.


Gravy
Don't skip out on this step...this is the best part!

2 tbsp Butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup liquid from crock pot.

Make a roux by melting flour in a skillet or saucier and whisking in the flour.

Over medium-low heat, stir the mixture until the color starts to deepen.

Slowly stir in the reserved liquid from the crock pot and whisk until thickened. This may take up to 5 minutes. Don't worry if some onions sneak in there. This is a party, after all.


I usually serve this dish with mashed potatoes and carrots. I use baby carrots because I can toss them right into the crock pot at the beginning of the cooking process. And there's nothing wrong with vegetables being cooking in beef broth. Nothing at all.